Melons are summer fruits. Their large-bodied heaviness speaks of ample sweet juice that can cool the body with one succulent bite. I will gladly sit down with a plate of watermelon or cantaloupe and gnaw each slice of fruit down to the rind. A simple side dish or even a dessert, melons make summer entertaining easier.

But besides eating the fruit whole or mixed in a larger salad, what can one do with a melon? As a novice baker, I strive to find or create recipes that are just slightly different from the normal offerings. While classic recipes will remain beloved for generations, it is exciting to walk along a new path. Chefs across the country amaze me with their inventiveness. The combination of different ingredients and flavors inspire people to spend good amounts of money. We all want to experience the pleasure of trying something we never thought possible.

Perhaps using melons in a muffin recipe is not as original as I would like think. Perhaps it is being done in kitchens across the country, and I've just been stuck in the average berry or banana muffin rut. But regardless, I think this recipe is special, and I certainly haven't seen it in any bakery I frequent. Click on the link below my picture to read more and to find the recipe.

What I love about cantaloupe is the relative ease of finding a promising fruit. Unlike a watermelon, a good cantaloupe is identifiable by that characteristic sweet smell at the base of the melon. Whenever I visit a grocery store, I walk over to the bin of melons and I begin picking up cantaloupe after cantaloupe, sniffing until I find that ideal sweetness.

The melon I picked out for this recipe was very ripe and juicy. I had no problems pulsating the juicy chunks in my blender a few times in order to create the orange hued puree. I picked up a small bag of unsweetened cocount at the local health food store to toast and sprinkle on top; a summer melon muffin just couldn't be complete without that tropical twist.

These muffins have the added benefit of being made with a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour. They make a perfect mid-morning snack or even a light dessert after a filling dinner. The density of the whole wheat is combated with a new technique I discovered in muffin making. Like many other cake recipes, I separated the egg whites from the yolks and subjected the whites to a heavy beating until soft peaks formed. I then gently folded these egg whites into the rest of the batter...and the result was a light and airy muffin.

I'll tell you, when I am really trying to be original (and not desperately throwing random things together because the family is fainting from hunger), I google my ingredients and see if anyone else has come up with anything close. It saves me from being passe.

These do look delicious, Monet. Believe it or not, I don't like cantaloupe. But if you made these for me, I would definitely try them! Very unique!

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Jessica

07/17/2010 7:17pm

I love it! The addition of the coconut is just perfect, too. And I will have to remember the beating egg whites technique - that's what I do when I make pancakes, but never thought to for muffins! I bet it makes the whole wheat seem much less dense - but still with the lovely taste and texture of it :)

I have to say that I have NEVER heard of using melon in a muffin before but it sounds like a fantastic idea. And I am such a huge fan of adding coconut to baked goods... gives them such a wonderful texture.

Fascinating. LIttle did I know that muffins could be made with this fruit. I find this fruit to be very pungent when using it for something else other than eating the plain fruit. I am glad your recipe went well!

I find cantalope muffins quite interesting and unique. I do have to say I'm rather hesitant to attempt this recipe, but I am very intrigued. I really like your tip on separating the eggs and then beating the whites to make your bakes more "airy". I think it will become a necessity. Oh, that bread from today was divine! I ate far too much while debating what to order, bread is my weakness, no matter if wine is involved or not...

I have to say that while all your recipes are interesting this has to be one of the most intriguing ones yet. I have never considered baking with cantaloupe before and love the idea of this being a nice healthy morning muffin.

When I get my hands on a lovely sweet cantaloupe I may just go ahead and give this a try. That is if the Hub doesn't get to the cantaloupe first and devour it!

what an cool combination! i never would have thought cantaloupe + muffins, but they sound like they would be so moist, sweet and delightful! hopefully if my cantaloupes come to fruition, i can give this a try.

I've always wanted to try using cantalope or other melons in baked goods, but always hesitated. Now I know it can work :) And good call on the separating of eggs.. I usually always do it with my cakes but I've never thought to do it with muffins!

What a great idea! I tend to buy too much fruit and am always at a loss at what to do with it before it goes bad. Now I have a great resource for recipes! Do you have any fun ideas for how to incorporate asparagus into brownies or something?! I have a bunch in my fridge on it's last leg!Amazing!

Wow these look so yummy! I need to try them. I never would have thought about this for a muffin!

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Le

07/20/2010 6:04am

I would have never thought to add rockmelon in muffins or any cake for that matter! Sounds yummy and looks fantastic! I love the sweet smell of ripe rockmelons, I can smell em from a mile away! To be honest I haven't eaten rockmelons since the beginning of this year when I got food poisoning because of it being spoilt rotten (I hadn't noticed). But this recipe may have just changed that!

You have put your stamp of creativity on these delicious looking muffins! Love the idea of cantaloupe and that they're healthy enough to enjoy as a snack - you had me at first sight of coconut topping :) Good luck in Austin - hope you'll still find time to bake us goodies!

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Jessie -- The Messie Kitchen

07/22/2010 11:53am

I'm so glad you are willing to try out these non-conventional recipes because I am always hesitant unless someone has done it first. I love the look of the cocnut on top. Though I'm not a huge coconut fan, I think the combo of flavors would be yummy!

This type of blogs is very recreational, call attention because of them you always learn something useful and not as in other blogs that are a waste of time and learn nothing.Congratulations for this blog and hopefully they are more like this,the material of common interest!

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Florence

05/18/2012 8:47am

Just made these! They're cooling at the minute, but look great, and the recipe made 20 muffins for me instead of 12! Even better :)